Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Officer-in-Charge Emmanuel A. Leyco announced that the DSWD will suspend the conditionalities for the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) beneficiaries in cities and municipalities in the province of Albay that have been affected by the series of eruptions of Mayon Volcano.

OIC Leyco made the announcement yesterday during a situational briefing on the relief operations for Mayon evacuees held at the Philippine National Police (PNP)-Regional Office V in Camp General Simeon Ola, Legazpi City, Albay. The briefing was attended by President Rodrigo R. Duterte and the head officials of different national government agencies and local government units (LGUs).

“We have already met with officials of our regional office in the Bicol Region and we decided that we will call for the suspension of the conditionalities for 4Ps so that our beneficiaries can receive their cash grants without having to meet the conditions for the program,” OIC Leyco reported to President Duterte.

4Ps is a human development program of the national government implemented by the DSWD that invests in the health and education of poor households, particularly of children aged 0-18 years old.

To continuously avail of the cash grants, the beneficiaries should comply with a number of conditionalities, including sending their children to school, bringing them to health centers for check-up, and attending the Family Development Sessions (FDS) conducted by the Department.

DSWD Field Office in Region V reported that 6,114 Pantawid household-beneficiaries under the jurisdiction of nine LGUs of Albay have been affected by Mayon’s volcanic activities. To date, 5,479 4Ps households are currently staying in evacuation centers.

Moreover, OIC Leyco said that the DSWD will also implement its Cash-for-Work (CFW) program for the affected residents staying in evacuation centers.

The CFW is a short-term intervention of the Department to provide temporary employment to distressed or displaced individuals by participating in preparedness, mitigation, relief, rehabilitation or risk reduction projects and activities in their communities or in evacuation centers.

“We will make our cash-for-work payouts more frequently so that the beneficiaries will be able to receive the cash as they need them,” the Officer-in-Charge added.

As of 8 am today, Mayon’s volcanic activities have affected a total of 23,434 families or 90,183 persons in 61 barangays in Albay.

Of this number, 19,214 families or 72,872 individuals are still taking temporary shelter in 76 evacuation centers set up by LGUs, while 901 families or 11,993 persons are staying with their relatives in the municipalities of Camalig, Daraga, Malilipot, and Santo Domingo.

The DSWD has so far provided a total of P18,927,024.72 worth of assistance to the affected families and individuals. ###